Polaroid 420 Land Camera., originally uploaded by cngodles.
This camera is my latest project. I picked it up for a buck at a local junk sale that I've been going to for at least a decade. There was a Kodak Super 8 Camera and a 650 watt Super 8 light that I picked up as well.
All of them were just finds. I picked up 4 things. Out of those 4, this one captured my eye the most.
First off, once I figured out how to open it without breaking it, I noticed that it was pretty much immaculate in its condition. The bellows, a camera construction type I've never used, was shiny and new looking. Everything worked fine and was where it was supposed to be. So I set off to do some research. I needed three things.
#1 How do I use this thing?
YouTube provided the answers quite quickly. A Film Photography Blog and Video Podcast led the way to understanding this camera.
So I load the film, take the photo, physically pull the film out of the camera, and 60 - 120 seconds later, there is my picture. This was quite different from how I understood Polaroid cameras. When I was growing up, you pushed the button, gears turned, the camera spit the photo out, and you waited for it to develop. This camera required you to do the pulling with a series of tabs and lots of generated waste paper. Neato.
#2 Can I get some film for this thing?
So this camera is from the 1970's. Is it possible that they still sell film? I went to Flickr to a Polaroid group, and oddly enough, the most recent discussion thread of dozens pointed me to the correct film. I asked again for my specific model, which led me to Fujifilm FP-100C film. I bought some at B-H Photo, and after shipping it came to some change over $10. Excellent!
#3 Can I get a new battery for this camera?
The answer is yes, but they cost over $7.00 each. It is a 3Volt battery. Thankfully the Internet is full of mods, and one pointed me to a method where you install a AA or AAA battery pack in place (as each batter is 1.5V each). I bought the pack at Radio Shack for a little more than $2, and now I can use all the recharged double AA batteries I want, for free. All I had to do was remove the battery holder, remove the structure with some cutting tools, and reinstall it. Now the AA holder fits right into the compartment.
Conclusion
I'm excited to shoot it, but I'm not expecting miracles. The lens is plastic, the camera is at least 35 years old, and Polaroids are not known for their awesome appearance. However, my parents photo albums are filled with them, and I hope to add a few to ours as well. The total investment has been about $14.00 thus far, and it is worth it for at least getting the experience of using this camera just once.
Now if I could only figure out Super 8 film.